PETALING JAYA: The Communications Ministry has issued appointment letters to the 12 individuals who will comprise the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Founding Board.
The Founding Board members were divided into three categories: media owners, media professionals and public interest representatives.
The four media owners are Phyllis Wong (Utusan Borneo), James Sarda (Sabah Publishing House), Premesh Chandran (Malaysiakini) and Ashwad Ismail (Astro Awani).
The four media professionals are Teh Athira Yusof (National Union of Journalists), Radzi Razak (Gerakan Media Merdeka), Ronnie Teo (Kuching Division Journalists Association) and Muthameez Manan (Tamil Media Association)
The four public interest representatives are Gayathry Venkiteswaran (University of Nottingham, Malaysia), Celine Lim (SAVE Rivers), Terence Ooi (Wiki Impact) and Azmyl Yunor (Sunway University).
“We recognise that the formation of the council is not a silver bullet,” said interim chairperson Premesh Chandran in a statement on Tuesday (July 15). “Building a credible, effective council that protects media independence and supports the viability of the industry requires a large, active, and committed membership. We invite all stakeholders to take ownership of this institution.”
The Founding Board stated that membership for the council would be available from early August and would close at the end of September. Applications can be submitted through the council’s official website, www.majlismedia.my, for a small fee of RM10. Membership is available to media owners, professionals, and individuals or organisations involved in the media ecosystem that serve public interests.
The council’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM) was set for Nov 7, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur. During this meeting, a new board would be elected, and essential topics, such as establishing a formal membership structure, implementing a code of conduct and setting up a complaints mechanism, would be discussed.
At least 25% of board members were from Sabah and Sarawak, ensuring inclusive national leadership.
The MMC would function as an independent self-regulatory body for the media industry. Its key roles would include advocating for the highest standards in ethical and responsible journalism; creating a set of guidelines for the media industry; regulating members' ethics and professional conduct, including carrying out investigations and mediating complaints; facilitating communication among the media, government, and the public; advocating for legal changes that promote media independence; fostering the professional development of journalists and Maintaining a centralised database of information about the media sector.
